BOSTON— MIT Heritage Arts of South Asia, popularly known as MITHAS, announced that renowned classical Indian vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan, with Armaan Khan and troupe, will be performing live at MIT Kresge Auditorium on June 25 to celebrate MITHAS’s 30th anniversary. Khan is one of the many luminaries hosted by MITHAS over the last thirty years.
Tickets to the performance can be purchased on Sulekha.com at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/365ua3pf
Founded by MIT’s Professor George Ruckert, MITHAS has hosted more than 300 concerts showcasing a myriad of genres such as Hindustani music (both vocal and instrumental), Carnatic music, classical dance, along with a host of workshops, lectures, and master classes. The performers run the gamut from established exponents of these art forms to blossoming artists.
“Special credit is due to the stream of volunteers, led recently by Dr. Hari Arthanari, that have operated MITHAS by performing tasks ranging from hosting artists, arranging transportation, setting up sound and stage, manning the front desk and ensuring smooth conduct of concerts,” said Anuradha Palakurthi, the Chairperson of MITHAS. “As MITHAS marks its 30th anniversary, we celebrate not just the beauty of South Asian music but also the glowing spirit of volunteerism that remains at its heart.”
She said that performance by Ustad Rashid Khan on June 25 adds a special feel to the 30th anniversary celebration, since his performance in 1993 was the first one hosted by MITHAS.
Ustad Rashid Khan is a renowned Indian classical vocalist. He was born on July 1, 1966, in Badayun, Uttar Pradesh, India, into a family of musicians. He belongs to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana, a lineage of Hindustani classical music. He received his initial training in music from his grandfather, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, and later continued under the guidance of his uncle, Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan. He also learned from his father, Ustad Sharafat Hussain Khan, and his uncle, Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar.
Khan made his debut as a professional singer at the age of 11 and has since performed extensively both in India and worldwide. Khan is known for his soulful and emotive renditions of classical ragas, with a powerful and versatile voice that can effortlessly navigate complex melodic patterns.
Over the years, Khan has received numerous accolades and awards for his contributions to Indian classical music. He has been honored with prestigious titles such as Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and has recorded several albums and collaborated with artists from various genres. He continues to this day as a revered figure in the world of Indian classical music, enchanting audiences with his mesmerizing performances and preserving the rich traditions of Hindustani classical music.
Ustand Khan joins the ranks of top artists whom MITHAS has been privileged to host. These luminaries include Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Vidwan T.N Seshagopalan, Vidwan T.M Krishna, Ustad Nishat Khan, Vidwan Chitraveena Ravikiran, Vidushi Veena Saharabuddhe, Ustad Ulhas Kashalkar, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, to name just a few.
MITHAS has also showcased such dance legends as Pandit Chitresh Das (Kathak), Vidushi Priyadarshini Govind (Bharatanatyam), Pandit Birju Maharaj (Kathak) , Vidushi Alarmel Valli (Bharatanatyam), Vidwan Sadanam Balakrishnan (Kathakali), and Vidushi Rama Vaidyanathan( Bharatanatyam).
In addition to concerts, MITHAS organizes master classes and lecture demonstrations, providing students the opportunity to learn from the masters of these art forms in Boston. MITHAS concerts, whether held in the expansive Kresge Auditorium, hosting over 800 attendees, or the intimate settings of MIT-Chapel or Killian Hall, are unique experiences. The ragas traversed and their landscape have a distinctive MITHAS touch, perhaps a result of the artist’s influences from the MIT ambience and the student-rich audience.
Operated by volunteers MITHAS has hosted more than 300 classical music and dance concerts. MITHAS seeks to enrich our environment and endow our children with the benefits of regular exposure to this great heritage. Join to create a society for the preservation and presentation of these arts to our community and the greater New England area at mithas.org.
